(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/25/12) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today said a Kansas bill signed into law by Governor Sam Brownback, which critics say is designed to target "Sharia" (Islamic religious principles), "invites" a legal challenge.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the Kansas anti-Muslim bill is one of dozens of similar pieces of discriminatory and unconstitutional legislation that have been introduced nationwide. These legislative initiatives are promoted by those who seek to marginalize American Muslims and demonize Islam.

"This clearly unconstitutional legislation, like all the others targeting Muslims' religious rights nationwide, invites a legal challenge," said CAIR Legal Counsel Nadhira Al-Khalili. "The unmistakable and un-American bigotry espoused by the sponsors of these bills should be repudiated by Americans of all faiths."

Civil libertarians say the legislation could infringe on constitutionally-protected religious rights, impacting the writing of marriage contracts, the implementation of wills or even being buried according to one's religious beliefs. It could also adversely affect the validation of international adoptions and foreign marriages.

Catholic leaders have outlined how a similar bill in Michigan could affect the rights of that faith's adherents.

Supporters of the Kansas bill have attempted to mask its true intent by endorsing the measure as a women's rights issue, but their repeated use of Islamophobic rhetoric demonstrates their true intent.

CAIR's toolkit includes background on David Yerushalmi, the anti-Islam extremist who authored the template for the anti-Sharia bills.

Yerushalmi is head of the anti-Islam hate group Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), which once offered a policy proposal that would make "adherence to Islam" punishable by 20 years in prison, called for the immediate deportation of all non-citizen Muslims and urged Congress to declare war on the "Muslim Nation," which SANE defined as "all Muslims." The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) named Yerushalmi a member of the "anti-Muslim inner circle."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

(LOS ANGELES, CA, 5/14/12) -- The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), along with Jewish Voice for Peace and Progressive Christians Uniting, today called on state and national Republican Party leaders to repudiate hate speech by a candidate for the U.S. Senate who recently told a cheering audience, "I am an Islamophobe, and everything we need to know about Islam, we learned on 9-11."

During his May 3 speech in San Mateo, Calif., candidate Rabbi Nachum Shifren also resorted to racist language when he said, "We're getting sucker-punched because we as white -- yes I said it! -- as white, Christian Americans are being taught that somehow we are to blame for all the problems."

In a joint statement, the Muslim, Christian and Jewish organizations said:

"There should be no place for hate speech of any kind in our nation's political discourse. Whenever one faith or ethnicity is targeted by hate, it is our duty as Americans to challenge that hatred and to instead promote mutual understanding and tolerance. We urge GOP leaders in California and nationwide to repudiate this candidate's hate speech and to encourage greater respect for diversity within party ranks."

A number of recent reports have documented the growth and promotion of Islamophobia nationwide.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 5/24/12) ­- The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today said it is "disappointed" with the state attorney general's apparent approval of the New York Police Department's (NYPD) warrantless surveillance of law-abiding Muslims.

A representative of CAIR-NJ, along with other American Muslim leaders, took part in a meeting this afternoon at Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa's office in Trenton to discuss concerns about the widespread spying conducted by the NYPD on the Muslim community in New Jersey.

Other government officials participating in the meeting included representatives of the New Jersey State Police, the Department of Homeland Security and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the status of New Jersey's review of the NYPD spying campaign, a new policy on communication with out-of-state law enforcement agencies and the establishment of a Muslim community outreach committee.

Following a three-month review, Gov. Chris Christie's administration said the NYPD did not violate New Jersey laws when it conducted surveillance of Muslim businesses, mosques and student groups.

The Associated Press, the news agency that broke the story of the NYPD spying, wrote today: "The findings by Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa, a Christie appointee asked by the governor to look into the spying, mean New Jersey Muslims have no state recourse to stop the New York Police Department from infiltrating student groups, videotaping mosque-goers or collecting their license plate numbers as they pray."

"The NYPD's blanket surveillance of every segment of the Muslim community clearly violated the constitutional rights of those who were spied on without evidence or even suspicion of wrongdoing on their part," said CAIR-NJ Chair Nadia Kahf. "We are disappointed with the outcome of the review conducted by the attorney general's office and will consider all legal options, including renewed appeals for action by the Department of Justice."

Kahf noted that CAIR-NJ participated in a similar meeting on the NYPD Muslim spying earlier this year.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CAIR-MNAsks FBI to Probe Hate Vandalism at Muslim HomeCAIR-MN reports that sometime during the past weekend, vandals spray-painted a Nazi swastika, the letters "KKK" and the word "stink" on the driveway of the family's Rochester, Minn., home.

CAIR Video Alert:Rally Against Torture June 24 in D.C.Join CAIR and more than 20 other religious, human and civil rights groups in Washington, D.C., for the June 24 march against torture.

CAIR-LAApplauds GOP for Ousting Villa Park CouncilwomanThe councilwoman, who previously threatened violence at Muslim families, was recently exposed for aligning with and later failing to distance herself from a 'former segregationist' and white supremacist Robert Walters.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/21/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Muslims and all Americans who value civil liberties to urge their elected representatives in Congress to remove all language in this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that justifies the indefinite military detention within the United States, without charge or trial, of those suspected of terrorism.

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the NDAA for 2013 (HR 4310) by a vote of 299 – 120, approving the 369 billion dollar defense spending bill. Tomorrow, May 22, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to begin consideration of its own version of the defense spending bill. If passed, both bills will be reconciled by conference committee.

While this annual defense authorization act provides valuable funding for the Armed Forces, it also contains misleading provisions that fail to put an end to threat of indefinite military detention within the United States.

The House version of the NDAA contains a misleading amendment offered by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) that claims to safeguard "habeas corpus rights," the right to petition the courts from unlawful detention.

However, CAIR believes that the real issue with last year's NDAA was not that it took away the right to petition unlawful detention, but that it declared indefinite military detention of Americans as lawful. Maintaining habeas rights will not help detainees challenge illegal detention if their detention has been made legal.

Last week, CAIR and a coalition of other civil liberties organizations endorsed a bipartisan amendment offered by Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) and Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) that would have repealed the indefinite detention provisions passed in last year's NDAA. The coalition also expressed serious concerns over Rep. Gohmert's "habeas corpus" amendment. Congress however rejected the amendment by a vote of 238 to 182.

Two days earlier, federal Judge Katherine Forrest of the Southern District of New York granted a preliminarily injunction to block the enforcement of last year's NDAA indefinite detention provisions because they failed to "pass constitutional muster." Activists and journalist challenged the law's vagueness in defining "material support" to forces "associated" with to Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. The judge's decision is expected to be appeal.

"An individual could run the risk of substantially supporting or directly supporting an 'associated force' without even being aware that he or she was doing so," said Judge Katherine Forrest. "This court is acutely aware that preliminarily enjoining an act of Congress must be done with great caution. . .However, it is the responsibility of our judicial system to protect the public from acts of Congress which infringe upon constitutional rights."

Last year, CAIR campaigned for the removal of NDAA sections that authorize the U.S. military to police domestically, make arrests and indefinitely detain persons suspected of terrorism without charge or trial. CAIR was one of the many civil rights organizations that joined members of Congress in protesting the NDAA's detention powers, stating that they were unconstitutional and an overreach of the president's authority.

"We need to act now and let Congress know that we won't accept any watered-down assurances that our due process rights are secure," said CAIR Government Affairs Coordinator Robert McCaw. "We need to ask for real change that puts an end to the prospect of indefinite detention. This year's NDAA fails to truthfully address any of the public's concerns over the threat of indefinite detention and only offers a solution to a problem that does not exist."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:

To contact your representatives in Congress and ask for real change that puts an end to indefinite detention, CAIR has provided a letter to which you can add a message of your own or simply fill in your name and address and click "send message."

SEND A LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Seeking End to Indefinite Detention

CAIR-FL:In Debate Over Islam, Let the Facts Be Damned (Tampa Trib)I have spoken with [CAIR-FL's] Shibly several times, and I have researched the facts surrounding the government's labeling of [CAIR] (Shibly leads its local office) and the Islamic Society of North America, and do not believe that he or either of those groups support terrorism. The knuckles of Shibly's critics may not literally drag to the ground, but they are certainly ignorant to the facts.

CAIR:Groups Urge Veto of Kansas Anti-Sharia Law Bill (Journal-World)Groups that have called for Brownback to veto the bill include the Council of American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Circle of North America and the Muslim American Society.

CAIR-MI:Does America Need Protection From Sharia Law? (Press & Guide)ACCESS, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace in Detroit and the National Action Network, also of Detroit, all oppose the measure.

(ST. LOUIS, MO, 5/17/12) - On Friday, May 18, representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) will hold a news conference at the Kansas State Capitol Building in Topeka to call on Governor Sam Brownback to veto a bill that critics say is designed to target “Sharia,” or Islamic religious principles.

The Kansas anti-Sharia bill, which was recently passed by that state’s legislature, is one of more than 25 similar pieces of discriminatory and unconstitutional legislation that have been introduced nationwide. These legislative initiatives are promoted by those who seek to marginalize American Muslims and demonize Islam.

Governor Brownback has not stated whether or not he will sign the bill.

Earlier this week, CAIR issued an action alert asking Muslims and Americans of all faiths to contact Gov. Brownback and urge him to veto the discriminatory bill.

Civil libertarians say the legislation could infringe on constitutionally-protected religious rights, impacting the writing of marriage contracts, implementation of wills or even being buried according to one's religious beliefs. It could also adversely affect the validation of international adoptions and foreign marriages.

Catholic leaders have outlined how a similar bill in Michigan could affect the rights of that faith’s adherents.

“[V]ulnerabilities for the church include questions of hiring, transfer of a pastor, the closing of a parish or decisions by church marriage tribunals. Such matters have been taken to secular courts, which have always deferred to the church. Long said canon law provides avenues of appeal of such matters within the church, with the final step involving the Holy See itself in Rome. He said that under HB 4769, such pronouncements from Rome could be viewed as foreign law.”

Supporters of the Kansas bill have attempted to mask its true intent by endorsing the measure as a women’s rights issue, but their repeated use of Islamophobic rhetoric demonstrates their true intent.

CAIR’s toolkit includes background on David Yerushalmi, the anti-Islam extremist who authored the template for the anti-Sharia bills.

Yerushalmi is head of the anti-Islam hate group Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), which once offered a policy proposal that would make "adherence to Islam" punishable by 20 years in prison, called for the immediate deportation of all non-citizen Muslims and urged Congress to declare war on the "Muslim Nation," which SANE defined as "all Muslims." The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) named Yerushalmi a member of the "anti-Muslim inner circle."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/15/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Muslims and all other Americans who value civil liberties to urge Kansas Governor Sam Brownback not sign a bill (House Substitute for Senate Bill 79), the sponsors of which admit is designed to attack Sharia, the religious principles of American Muslims.

On May 11, the Kansas Senate approved Senate Bill 79 by a vote of 33-4, sending it to the governor's desk for approval. The bill is one of more than 25 similar pieces of discriminatory and unconstitutional legislation that have been introduced in state legislatures nationwide. These legislative initiatives are promoted by those who seek to marginalize American Muslims and demonize Islam.

"The public's action in support of religious freedom is critical to prevent legalized discrimination against Muslims in Kansas and nationwide," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This bill and the others like it are based on misinformation and fear-mongering."

He added that the legislation could infringe on the constitutionally-protected right to choose Islamic marriage contracts, implement Islamic wills or to be buried according to one's religious beliefs. It could also negatively impact the validation of international adoptions and foreign marriages.

Awad said supporters of the bill have attempted to mask its true intent by endorsing the measure as a women's rights issue, but their repeated use of Islamophobic rhetoric demonstrates their true intent.

"I find Sharia law to take away all the rights of women," said bill supporter Sen. Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican. "They stone women to death in countries that have Sharia law, they (women) have no rights in court, female children are treated brutally."

While supporters of the bill note that it does not address Islam or Sharia, Sen. Chris Steineger, a Kansas City Republican said: "[T]his was not presented as protecting the Kansas Constitution. The proponents of this measure, clearly by the literature they gave me and by the video link they directed me to, they presented this as protecting us against sharia law. Despite the fact that this doesn't mention sharia, that's how this whole issue was presented."

Senator Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee issued an apology for supporting and passing the bill. "This is one where I made some mistakes; the first one was signing the conference report," said Chairman Owens. "I believe this bill is unconstitutional (and) intolerant."

CAIR recently released a community toolkit designed to assist those seeking to preserve America's ideal of religious pluralism in the face of the unconstitutional anti-Sharia campaign.

CAIR's toolkit includes background on David Yerushalmi, the anti-Islam extremist who authored the template for the anti-Sharia bills.

Yerushalmi is head of the anti-Islam hate group Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), which once offered a policy proposal that would make "adherence to Islam" punishable by 20 years in prison, called for the immediate deportation of all non-citizen Muslims and urged Congress to declare war on the "Muslim Nation," which SANE defined as "all Muslims." The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) named Yerushalmi a member of the "anti-Muslim inner circle."

1. Call Kansas Governor Sam Brownback at 877-579-6757 (Local: 785-296-3232) and ask to leave a message for the governor. To email the governor, click here.

Talking points:

I urge you to reject the "Foreign Law" bill that is a thinly-veiled attack on the state's Muslim population, which only serves to marginalize Muslims and to deny them equal rights and equal access to the courts enjoyed by other religious groups.

I am deeply concerned that the Kansas legislature would even consider a bill that was drafted using a template written by David Yerushalmi, an infamous anti-Muslim extremist with a history of bigoted views targeting Muslims, Jews, African-Americans, and women.

The bigoted nature and origin of this bill is the predominant reason why it was overwhelmingly rejected in Florida, Alabama, Virginia, New Jersey, and Minnesota, and was let expire in eleven other states. Please reject the intolerance and extremism inherent in this legislation.

2. Inform your friends and family by forwarding this alert to at least five other people and by sharing it on social media. Tell them you took action and ask them to do the same.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Video:Another Anti-Islam U.S. Military Training Course Exposed (CAIR)CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper appears on Al Jazeera's "Inside Story" to discuss revelations about yet another U.S. military training course that promotes false claims about Muslim "infiltration" in America. The controversial class presented slides that accused dozens of Islamic groups, many widely recognized as mainstream advocacy groups, of infiltrating the US media, education system, government and military. Through the slides and other presentations, the course created a picture of a US government co-opted by subversive Muslim elements.

Video:Military Course Called For 'Muslim Hiroshima' (CAIR)[CAIR] told Sky: "When we see top leaders of the military in the future being trained by these kinds of people, absorbing this kind of misinformation and agenda-driven polemics, it is inevitably going to have a negative impact down the road.

CAIR:U.S Muslims Take on U.S. Government in 'No-Fly' Lawsuit (NY Daily News)[CAIR] regularly gets calls from Muslim Americans who were detained when trying to board a flight. . .Most don't pursue legal action, and instead will try to take a car, train or boat if possible, the group said.